


Dad

by emilyevanston



Series: Avengers as Parents drabbles [6]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Parenthood, Step-parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-24
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-22 08:13:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12477196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilyevanston/pseuds/emilyevanston
Summary: Bruce never expected to be a father.  Now he’s not only that, he’s a dad.





	Dad

“Do you think you can help me with my science fair project, dad?”

Dad.  The word echoed through Bruce’s head and nestled into his chest.  Bruce had never expected to be a dad.  It wasn’t feasible.  Not with the whole issue with the other guy.  He couldn’t risk a life where he passed that onto another person.

Then he met you.  You who were smart and funny.  You who were calm and kind.  You who were stubborn and determined.  Who wouldn’t take his shit, yet somehow calmed him and kept his anxiety in check.  You who was already a mother when he met you.  The mother to a small boy named Danny.

Things had progressed slowly between you and Bruce.  Bruce didn’t trust himself in a romantic relationship.  You didn’t trust bringing another man into Danny’s life.  It was a year of just getting to know each other as friends.  Working in the same lab.  Sharing jokes.  Getting over the crippling shyness and unwillingness to connect with another person.

It was another year of shy flirting and soft touches.  When you’d finally admitted there was something between you and moved it forward, it was years before you’d moved in together.  Now Danny was eight years old and for the past year, Bruce had thought of him as his son.  He was the child he’d never thought he’d have.  The thing he had never let himself admit to wanting.

He had worried early on that he couldn’t handle it.  That one day Danny would do something that frustrated him to the point that the other guy would come out.  He always worried about that regardless of what was happening.  But to be the reason that the woman he loved and an innocent child was badly hurt or worse; he couldn’t live with that.  It turned out it was never a problem.  You were both a calming influence.  Sometimes he felt the hulk actually feeling pride or love for the new people in his life.  Now Bruce didn’t even worry that something else would draw the other guy out when you were around.  He knew in his core that the Hulk would never hurt either of you.

In the beginning, Danny had called him Doctor Banner.  He was so young when Bruce met him, that he could barely even pronounce the words properly.  No matter how many times they’d said he could use Bruce.  After a few months, he switched to using Bruce.  He’d tested it out tentatively.  Not sure how it felt or how Bruce would respond.  You could tell by the hesitant way the word was formed that it felt strange to him.  That it was too informal, and this man who was spending all this time with his mother might react badly to it.  Over time it was just natural.  It wasn’t unusual to hear him yell it through the house trying to find where he was.  Or to hear the sleepy voice say it when he was protesting going to bed.

Bruce has accepted the fact he’d never be a father.  That no matter how much he felt like one, to Danny he would just be Bruce.  He was fine with that.  To be Bruce was more than he thought he’d get.  It was enough that he felt like a father, and that he had you as his wife.

Only now it had happened.

“Do you think you can help me with my science fair project, dad?”

Dad.  Not Bruce.  It was said with such ease that for a moment Bruce worried he’d said it by accident.  That Danny had used the word the way kids will sometimes slip and call their teacher ‘mom’.  He looked to you and saw the giant smile on your face.

“Of course, Dan.  What - what were you thinking you wanted to do?”  Bruce asked.

“I wanna see what happens with plants when they only have certain minerals in the water.”  Danny says.  “Can we do that, dad?”

There it was again.  Used a little more awkwardly and with slightly more emphasis.  Definitely not a mistake.  It felt like a weight had been placed on Bruce’s chest.  His heart both hurt and feel light at once.  Bruce could feel the press from the other guy, not wanting to take over, but to push him into action.

He crouched down in front of Danny.  In front of his son.  “Uh… yeah, buddy.  That sounds pretty advanced but we can do it.  Tell you what, you uh, you go research what we need and we can go to Home Depot and buy what you want.  Or … or maybe you might like to go into the lab and see if we have it there?”

“Can we go say hello to Iron Man?”  Danny asked.

Bruce smiled.  “Yes, I’m sure we can.”

Danny’s face lit up.  “Do you think he’ll let me try on the suit?”

Bruce laughed and shook his head.  “We’ll see.”

Danny wrapped his arms around Bruce’s neck, hugging him hard.   Bruce startled and slowly closed his arms around the boy.  “I love you, dad.” Danny whispered.

“Love you too, Danny.”  Bruce whispered in return.

Danny let go and ran off to his room to start researching.  Bruce sat down on the couch next to you.  You put your arm around his back and pressed your forehead against the side of his head.

“He called me dad.”  Bruce said, touching his chest.  It still felt way too full, like his heart was trying to burst out his chest.

“I know.  How’re you feeling?”  You whispered.

He turned to look at you, a smile broke out on his face.  “I - I - I can’t believe it.”  He stuttered.  “I didn’t think…”

You cupped his jaw in your hands and kissed him.  He could feel every ounce of the love you felt for him in that kiss.  He melted into it, wrapping his arms around you.  You pulled back slowly, resting your forehead against his.  “Thank you.”  He whispered.

You shook your head.  “No, thank you.  I love you so much, B.”

He smiled and nuzzled into your neck.  “I love you too.”  He whispered.  “I - I uh should go help him.”

You returned the smile and stole one more kiss.  “Get to it my geniuses.  I expect him to get first prize.”


End file.
